08/17/2020
Serving on the Greenville County Schools Board is the honor of a lifetime, and a central part of my family and community life. When I was recognized for twenty years of Board service, it actually surprised me that it has been such a long tenure. This spring started with visits to schools and celebrations with families and teachers about all we had accomplished in just a single year! We raised teacher salaries to the highest in the state and raised beginning teacher salaries to $40,000 per year. We lowered class sizes in the early grades to prioritize early reading and the classroom experience for students and their teachers. We provided resources to ensure that every elementary teacher receives a planning period each day. We increased access to guidance and mental health counselors, and strengthened other health and safety measures. We broke ground for the new Fountain Inn High School, which is designed to house an institute for automation and engineering, and is the first high school to be added to the district in 30 years. I realized that after twenty years of helping the Board, administration and staff accomplish so much for children, I am ready to experience new opportunities to be engaged in education policy and advocacy. However, I struggled with the idea of leaving at the end of this term until I knew that another candidate might emerge who can help the district strengthen teaching quality and student engagement, beginning in the challenging times we continue to experience during this Covid crisis. Once I learned that Kori Hillson was willing to serve, I knew that, if she were elected, I would be leaving District 27 and Greenville County Schools in excellent hands.
Kori is not a single-issue candidate. She has lived her adult life as a public schools advocate with a breadth of understanding about the complex issues a district faces and the variety of offerings students need to be successful. Kori is an engineer who has devoted her time to leading PTA’s, tutoring in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math, mentoring students at all grade levels, working to improve services for students with special needs, supporting teachers and caring every day about serving her community well.
I have much work to do in my remaining months as Trustee for District 27, including helping the district adjust to well-planned operations dictated by extreme and unexpected circumstances. I continue to work for you as you face yet another challenging time in educating your children. I am not leaving my community, or my dedication to improving the lives of young people. I am simply leaving the role of Trustee. I will do all I can to support Kori Hillson because I believe that she will treasure this responsibility and live up to it as I have tried to do. She loves to learn and make things better for those around her. Kori will be collaborative on the board, as well as a great listener and leader. These I believe to be essential qualities for a successful and effective member of the School Board.
From the bottom of my heart, I thank you for placing your confidence in me and for electing me for five terms to serve as your representative on the Greenville County Board of Trustees!
